Monday, June 18, 2012
Why laser cut invitations?
The short answer is that: IT’S AWESOME! The long answer is that a laser cut piece can get you very fine details and add a depth to a piece that goes beyond a single card. A laser cut can be used as a layer over another design which together create some very interesting eye candy. A laser cut piece can also be the invitation itself, which stands on its own. For intricate detailed paper cut work, laser cutting is the way to go. Incorporating laser cut designs into an invitation really adds that unique look and truly creates a luxury invitation.
There are two drawbacks to custom laser cut invitations. The first is the cost. Depending on quantity, you can expect to pay between $8.00-$16.00 per laser cut piece, not counting the rest of the invitation set. For original custom designs you can also plan on an initial $300-$500 for the setup costs. The second is the color alteration (slight scorched paper look) that appears on very light shades of paper, as laser cutting is literally a burn into paper. On darker or black papers you won’t really see it, but it’s something to keep in mind.
The greatest thing about laser cut invitations is their uniqueness. They are definitely unforgettable. If you like laser cut, then I’m sure you’ll love paper cutting designs by hand.
Resources About Laser Cut Invitations
There’s a lot of great resources out on the web the for traditional paper cutting, one of my favorite artists you’ll find at the bottom of this post.
Laser Cut Invitation Images
Video from Japanese Paper Artist “Mikito Ozeki”
Here’s something fun to watch, although, it has nothing to do with “Laser Cut Invitations”, it has plenty to do with art and paper and those patient enough to sit at a table for 20 hours to create something out of nothing. They’re my favorite types of people.
Video from mikitoozeki on Vimeo.
A video shot is great way to display the extensive hand cut art form created. It was hard to hear what was being said and I suppose it was not as important as the image. I really loved the shadows that appeared on the walls and floors just behind the art. Having the art sandwiched between two pieces of glass really makes them pop out at you. The alien creature holding the belt was the most intricate of the bunch. I’ll be keeping an out for any modern displays of paper cut art happening this summer in DC if we’re lucky enough. If not, New York is only a train ride away. We hope you enjoyed the video as much as us.
Posted in Wedding Resources
Friday, June 15, 2012
Searching for the best wedding invitation store to design your luxury wedding invitations, wedding stationery, and even your save the date cards can be a challenge, especially if you’re not a graphic artist with an intimate knowledge of letterpress and foil stamp printing processes and limitations. Digby & Rose has put together a list of the top 10 luxury wedding invitation stores to help relieve some of the stress of searching the vast online space for that one perfect place that has all the design, communication, customer service and printing skills necessary to do the job. Whether it’s cotton, bamboo, silk or wood, the feel of the invitation is as important as the look. Bringing a custom wedding invitation to life takes not only design skills, but experience with new and antique printing and finishing methods. Invitations send an important message about the wedding, and that message changes based on the design of the typography, the size and shape, and the finishing details. For those going for elegant simplicity, it can easily be achieved by using a large formal size letterpress invitation with matching letterpress RSVP, reception card and envelopes, all designed around a clean balanced typography. For something more, there’s silk boxes, ribbons, ties, envelope liners, inner and outer envelopes, calligraphy, matching postage stamps, die cut shapes for the invitation and envelopes, pocketfolds, belly bands, faux jewelry clips and custom designed laser cut wraps.
10 Questions to Ask The Online Store Before You Buy
- Can you customize any design to fit my style? If so, how much will it cost?
- What is the turnaround from print approval to receiving my invitations?
- Do you have an in house design staff? What’s the hourly rate?
- Can you make the wedding day paper and thank you notes and can I order them after I receive my invites?
- How long does it take to get my first proof?
- If I need to make changes, how long does it take before I see them?
- How many changes can I make to the text before I incur a fee?
- Will you be able to help me with the wording on the invitation and reply card?
- Can I assemble, tie and/or glue the pieces in order to save money?
- What’s your favorite font?
1. Digby & Rose Wedding Invitations
Website: Click Here for Digby & Rose
3711 Macomb St NW
Suite #4
Washington, DC 20016
Phone: 202-652-1556
Digby & Rose is a Washington D.C. luxury wedding invitation company that prides itself in its personal service and a love for typography that is unmatched. Owner Heather Noss began Digby & Rose in 2008 after serving seven years as a U.S. diplomat overseas. She has been nurturing a secret love of paper and fonts since she was 8 years old which led her to invent the company’s own printing process called Letterpress Light. Unique only to Digby & Rose, this process creates deeper impressions in the paper than regular letterpress. Their wide selection of design options can be fitted to each client’s style. Their work has been recognized by the Washingtonian, Style Me Pretty and Brides magazines and was voted by the users of The Knot, The 2012 Best of Weddings Pick. A Digby & Rose invitation have announced some of the best events on the planet and has included Grammy winners, diplomats, and more. Each order is a custom price quote, but the most basic order (one color letterpress invitation and reply card with two flat printed envelopes) for 100 invitations starts at $650. Moving to something more formal in size, RSVP cards and inserts, more letterpress colors, foil stamps and a heavier paper the average cost for 100 luxury wedding invitations is $2800.
2. Lela New York Luxury Invitation and Stationery Design
Website: Click Here for Lela
192 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-802-1438
Lela New York is an award winning design studio that focuses on luxury wedding invitations. They sell boxed invitations that are covered in fabric with unique decorations specifically designed for each client. Their classic stationery invitations are printed on high quality paper and are designed to the client’s specifications. Although every order is custom, prices are based on 100 sets. The classic envelopes range from $13.50 – $28.00 and the fabric and box sets range from $28 – $90. Lela New York is based in New York, but they work with clients worldwide including celebrities and royalty. They have been featured in Brides Magazine, The Knot and the New York Post.
3. Elum Designs
Website: Click Here for Elum Designs
4650 Overland Avenue
San Diego, CA 92123-1259
Phone: 858-650-3586
With high-style modern designs and sumptuous materials, they have revitalized the centuries old art form of letterpress printing. Their collection of letterpress wedding invitations, letterpress invitations, letterpress stationery and designer paper products features custom artwork that reflects the most current trends in the world of design and fashion. They offer the bride to be the ability to order directly from their site or visit one of their resellers to find the perfect wedding invitation. In addition to wedding invitations they also offer special occasion invitations such as bar mitzvah invitations, bat mitzvah invitations, custom party invitations, save the date cards and baby announcements.
4. Hannah Handmade
Website: Click Here for Hannah Handmade
1330 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: 847-864-8292
Andrea Liss founded Hannah Handmade in 1991, and has grown the company from a small one-woman operation to a trend-setting leader in the stationery industry. They have taken on many types of custom projects ranging from stationery ensembles for weddings and social events to corporate and non-profit invitations. Andrea draws upon her 20-plus years as a professional designer to bring her clients the very best in both style and substance to make that special day something you will remember for a lifetime. Andrea has designed some beautiful invitations for companies such as The Art Institute of Chicago, Auburn University, BP, BizBash Media, Blue Plate Catering, Campbell Soup Company, Catalyst Exhibits, Merrill Lynch, and McDonald’s.
5. Beyond Inviting Couture
Website: Click Here for Beyond Inviting Couture
La Costa, California
Phone: 760-436-5722
Since 2003, Beyond Inviting Couture has been creating custom invitations that epitomize luxury. Created by Karyn Dunn and based in San Diego, Beyond Inviting Couture offers an almost unlimited number of design options from simple to extravagant. Their wedding invitations are made with the highest quality cardstock and textured paper. They can be further decorated with extras such as brooches and ribbons. These special touches are what clients can expect of a Beyond Inviting Couture wedding invitation. They also offer a variety of printing options, such as letterpress, engraving and embossing, which further individualizes the finished product. Prices are based on each order because of their uniqueness, but the minimum order is $2000.
6. Chin Chin Papers
Website: Click Here for Chin Chin Papers
Phone: 1-800-573-0906
Chin Chin Papers will create invitations to match each client’s vision of their event. Started by Renee Rodriguez, this couture invitation company designs romantic cards inspired by fashion, the social life in Paris, historic art and modern design. Chin Chin Papers offers a variety of printing options including letterpress, thermography, calligraphy and digital printing to match the theme of each order. Invitations can be presented in an invitation box and can be decorated with paper flowers, brooches, jewels, and satin ribbons. They have a couture collection for those wanting the extravagant and a signature collection for those with simple and elegant taste.
7. Smock Paper
Website: Click Here for Smock Paper
509 W Fayette St,
Syracuse, NY 13204
Phone: 800-5949845
Their print shop includes 20 antique presses, 50 tons of equipment, and 17 employees. Their print shop resides west of downtown in the Delavan Center which also houses some of Syracuse’s best painters, photographers, sculptors, and ceramists, as well as Syracuse’s largest art gallery.
Smock’s creative director and designer Amy Graham Stigler’s love for beautiful and beautifully made things, dates back to her childhood in Wisconsin, where she spent her time running from pillar to post, exploring and sketching the minutiae of nature. Her childhood love of art and books eventually turned into a profession: she studied art history while working at the Art Institute of Chicago and The Museum of Contemporary Art.
The team at Smock Paper describe themselves as “faithful lovers of historic craft with letterpress ink in our veins.” Their designers and printers believe in the creation of beautiful things.
8. Luxe Expressions
Website: Click Here for Luxe Expressions
Atlanta, Georgia
Phone: 770-424-6192
Debra Saba, the founder of Luxe Expressions, creates designs inspired by her world travels. With a background in graphic design and journalism, each couture invitation makes a statement about who the client is. They are printed on the best cotton paper with letterpress, engraving or lithography. Each invitation can be adorned with decorations, fabric and ribbons. All their materials are eco-friendly. Clients can design a completely unique invitation or they can choose from designs on the website. Each invitation set includes the invitation, mailing envelope, and response card and envelope. They are all made to feel like a gift for the recipient opening it. The minimum order is 50 pieces.
9. Clover Creek
Website: Click Here for Clover Creek
69 Sea Meadow Drive
South Dennis, Massachusetts 02660
Phone: 508-259-0696
Clover Creek can create invitations for all individual tastes. They are an eco-friendly company that uses paper from renewable plants rather than trees. Featured in magazines such as Town & Country, Clover Creek offers unique touches that set them apart. Not only are their invitations decorated with rhinestones, pearls and charms, but clients have the option of natural items such as dried flowers, leaves and seashells. The envelopes are sealed with monogrammed wax as a special finishing touch. With a wide variety of printing methods such as letterpress and copper engraving, clients are ensured a completely individualized wedding invitation.
10. Elegant Custom Invitations
Website: Click Here for ECI
2620 Fountainview Drive
Suite 201
Houston, Texas 77057
Phone: 713-408-9407
Located in Houston, Texas, Elegant Custom Invitations design wedding invitations that meet all the customer’s needs, including style and budget. They make sure that guests have a lasting first impression with their unique invitations. There are two lines of invitations to accommodate all budgets. The custom line includes pocketfold cards, flat cards and folded cards. Invitations in the couture line are presented in silk boxes, folios and box mailers. Clients have a wide assortment of decorations to choose from including satin and silk ribbons, Swarovski crystal and brooches. Lettering can be printed by engraving, flat printing, letterpress or thermography. The minimum order for the custom line is 50 invitations and 25 for the couture line.
Posted in Wedding Resources
Friday, May 25, 2012
You might know all the ins and outs of sending luxury wedding invitations, but save-the-date etiquette, wording, and even design ideas are sometimes less clear.
Save-the-date cards are sent to your guests 6 to 8 months before your wedding date so that your guests can mark it on their calendars and make travel arrangements. They should be sent out even sooner, up to a year in advance, if you are having a destination wedding or during a high travel season. For instance, Cape Cod in the summer, San Diego during Comic-Con International, Mexico in the winter during peak travel season or perhaps Washington, DC during an inauguration. If you are getting married in a relatively small town, you’ll still have to check, you might end up competing with hotel rooms with the annual Texas Bigfoot abductees support group (you never know). The point of using a Save The Date is to be gracious to your guests by giving them enough time with their busy schedules so that they can make travel arrangements well enough in advance and maybe use those airline and credit card points. Save-the-date notices are also used for non destination weddings if more than 25% of your guests are coming in from out of town and your event coincides with a peak travel season.
Digby & Rose, a leading online resource, designer, and letterpress print shop for wedding invitations & stationery wants to help you with your save-the-date cards. Their first wedding guide covered how to choose a wedding photographer and their second guide below will give you everything you need to know about save-the-date etiquette, wording, and even ideas for custom cards.
Embed This Save-The-Date Infographic
Posted in Wedding Resources
